A Man For All Seasons

For John, BLUF:  Human problems are as old as the human race.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Sir Thomas More

Happy Birthday

Here is a quote that is as timely todzy as it was back in the time of Henry VIII:

For if you suffer your people to be ill-educated, and their manners to be corrupted from their infancy, and then punish them for those crimes to which their first education disposed them, what else is to be concluded from this, but that you first make thieves and then punish them.

Here is an indication of the impact of education on incarceration, from The san Jose Mercury News, from 15 May 2014:

The link between a poor education and incarcaration is borne out in data. Dropouts are 3.5 times more likely to be arrested than high school graduates. Nationally, 68 percent of all males in prison do not have a high school diploma. Only 20 percent of California inmates demonstrate a basic level of literacy, and the average offender reads at an eighth grade level.

These numbers vary by source.  From the US Census Bureau, back in 2011, 58 percent of young black men in prison did not complete high school while 41 percent of young white men in prison did not.  From the 19 March 2018 issue of the SL Spotlight (Southern Lehigh School District, Pennszylvania), we have this:

Of all of the males in federal and state prisons, 80 percent do not have a high school diploma. There is a direct correlation with a lack of high school education and incarceration.  One in ten male dropouts between the ages of 16 to 24 are either in prison or in juvenile detention.

There are more studies, but I will save that research for the read.

The point for all of us to ponder, and to act on, is that we have to work on helping our young citizens complete high school and move on to productive jobs and lives.

One could rgue that this is not corrolation, but only coincidence.  We can take time to study this, but I would suggest that there are steps we could take now.

We can ask what is it we might be doing wrong?  I would suggest that part of it is not meeting the educational needs of the students.  One of the things might be the lack of technical high school slots.  Given that we can't expand Greater Lowell Technical High School it may mean that the Great and General Court may need to do something truly radical and adjust the Vocational School bountries to allow new schools to be built, with the hope of providing courses of study that attract their interest and lead to productive work lives.

Happy Birthday, Saint Thomas More.

Regards  —  Cliff

Hitting A Square Corner on Wednesday

For John, BLUF:  This is not good.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Motion seeks Lowell school superintendent's firing

From The [Lowell] Sun, by Reporter Rick Sobey, rsobey@lowellsun.com, 14 July 2018.

Here are the second through fifth paragraphs of the story:

A motion on Wednesday's School Committee agenda, filed by members Jackie Doherty and Connie Martin, would terminate his contract "for good cause."

They also submitted a joint motion to place Khelfaoui on paid administrative leave.

The third and final joint motion dealing with the superintendent position would appoint Assistant Superintendent Jeannine Durkin as acting superintendent.

Ending his contract would require four votes on the seven-member committee. School Committee member Gerry Nutter would be the third vote. Mayor Bill Samaras, who has generally supported Khelfaoui, could be the crucial swing vote.

This does not look like it will end well.  Even if there is not a vote to oust Dr Salah Khelfaoui it will be notice that a strong minority of the School Committee doesn't like him and has him on notice.  The Superintendent, in turn, will have an eye on a good exit strategy.

In the mean time, I have not heard anyone talk about the critical issues, which are:

1. Upping MCAS Scores
2. Increasing Graduation Rates
3. Finding a way (or ways) to provide vocational education for those wanting it but not going to Greater Lowell Technical High School, and,
4. Seeing if there is a more effective approach to education than the nearly 200 year old system, developed for a different time.

Regards  —  Cliff

Local Elections / Local Candidates

For John, BLUF:  And get on City Life.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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You Should Run

Not that I want to see any of my friends defeated, but there are seats to be contested on the :

• City Council (9 Seats)
• Lowell School Committee(6 Seats)
• Greater Lowell Technical High School School Committee (Who knows?)♠

If you need help or encouragement, I am willing to pitch in for you.

I can't be your Treasurer—The City pays me a minuscule amount to be on the License Commission and thus I am excluded from that campaign office.

However, I have a current list of registered voters and I can help you sort through it.  I have it as an Excel Spreadsheet.  I also have data on who voted in previous elections.  I would be happy to sit down and share with you.

EMail me at "crkrieger" at "me" dot "com".

And, there is help to be had from the Elections Office, in the Southwest corner of the basement of City Hall.  Nice people, happy to help.

If you are wondering about financial statements, here is our local City web page.

Get in the swim!

UPDATE:  There are no seats open for GLTHS School Committee this election cycle.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  This local governmental organization is moving to the State Ballot and will appear in 2018.  This is due to the new and convoluted way GLTHS candidates will run and be elected.  More in 2018.

The Race is Over

For John, BLUF:  Rita did it again.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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The top vote getter was

Rita Mercier.

The final results can be found in The [Lowell] Sun:

City Council

School Committee

And Greater Lowell Technical High School saw the two incumbents, unchallenged, reelected—Ray Boutin and Curtis LeMay.

Regards  —  Cliff

Gun Control Issues

TRIGGER WARNING:  In which I talk about guns and a woman murdered, with San Francisco's "sanctuary law" being a possible contributing factor.
For John, BLUF:  There are lots of opinions, but not a lot of analysis regarding guns.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Here, from the office of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, is a press release related to the shooting death of Ms Kathryn Steinle.  It is headlined "Pelosi Remarks at Press Event Urging Congress to Pass Background Checks Legislation".  From it I have extracted this paragraph:

Last week, in San Francisco, our city suffered our own senseless act of gun violence with the killing of Kathryn Steinle, and our thoughts and prayers are very much with her family.  Today, we must do more as a nation to prevent dangerous people from getting easy access to guns.  And Congress has a moral responsibility to act.  What is so unclear?  What do they not understand about that?

I am in sympathy with the idea of background checks for the sales of guns (or the issuance of a license).  In sympathy as long as two safeguards are in place.

• Records of the results of the background check are not held more than a nominal period, and,
• Background checks are not made onerous by the Federal Government or local governments.

Yes, we don't want someone with a criminal record (traffic tickets, youthful incidents, etc aside) obtaining a gun.  We also don't want someone who is emotionally disturbed to have a gun.  Makes sense to me.

What is not clear to be, or rather, to use Ms Pelosi's words, what is unclear, is how the institution of background checks would have altered the situation in San Francisco in which Ms Kathryn Steinle was cut down by a stolen federal weapon.  Would Ms Pelosi ban guns from the myriad of federal agencies authorized to arm its people, agencies like the Department of Education?

To be clear, Ms Pelosi's solution is unclear.

But, it sounds good.

On the other hand, what is her view of San Francisco being a "sanctuary city"?  Would the alleged shooter, five time deported Mr Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez, have not been there if the City's approach to illegal aliens was different?  Can we say about this that "Congress has a moral responsibility to act"?

If, however, you feel pursuing illegal immigrants is like pursuing runaway slaves, you need to stand your ground.  But, do you think we should just go for an open border with Mexico?  Should we, in some way, integrate our Social Security systems, so money for that tax can be collected by either government and exchanged based upon citizenship?  Should there even be separate citizenship?  Should Mexicans in the United States be free to vote in local elections, as would be US Citizens living in Mexico?  Or, perhaps like the compromise for the election of School Committee members for Greater Lowell Technical High School, it should be a free-for-all and we should vote for the Mexican President and legislators and they for ours.

Regards  —  Cliff

The Constitution

For John, BLUF:  Congressional principles in conflict.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Yesterday, in a telephone conversation, City Life Host George Anthes suggested that I don't respect the US Constitution because I did not initially tumble to the idea of "one man, one vote" for the School Committee of the Greater Lowell Technical High School.

I would like to be clear that I fully support "one man, one vote".  I have lived where it has not been in effect, like Alabama in 1964-5, where a lack of redistricting from 1910 to 1972 resulted in rural domination of the State Legislature.  It was not good for the State or its Citizens.

The question with regard to the Greater Lowell Technical High School was if the three towns would find their interests swamped by Lowell.  This is a US Senate Model vs a US House of Representatives model.  In the US Congress Wyoming, Vermont, North Dakota and Alaska have one US Rep each, but each have two Senators, just like California, Texas, New York and Florida.  This Congressional arrangement was the result of "The Great Compromise at the Constitutional Convention in 1787.

It appears to me that it is unlikely the courts will view the Greater Lowell Technical High School School Committee as a "Senate" like organization, one based on the Great Compromise, but rather a House of Representatives like organization.  Thus, for the towns there is the danger of being squashed.

One solution, perhaps, is to have a bicameral School Committee.  It isn't like we pay the current members anything, so it wouldn't be very expensive.  The other option is to just hand GLTHS over to the City of Lowell and then have the towns purchase seats during the school year.  Is that Councilor Kennedy's real objective?

UPDATE:  Given the current situation, I like the idea of GLTHS going to Lowell, but with its own School Committee and its own Superintendent, separate from the current School System.  And, I would suggest that the school property, and the land between it and Lowell, be transferred to Lowell.♠  And let the towns buy seats at GLTHS, as their needs dictate.  Busing may be a problem, but I believe it can be worked out.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  As it is, GLTHS is a drag on Thyngsboro resources, for which the town is not compensated.

Cambodian Vote Results Delayed

For John, BLUF:  Some solutions require a little patience.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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This is an unusually long lede for The International Herald Tribune:

Cambodia’s state election body said Friday that it would postpone its announcement of the final results from last month’s general election, a move that could ease fears of violence over opposition protests. The National Election Committee made the announcement after the government acknowledged moving armored vehicles and troops into the capital, Phnom Penh, to keep order if a threatened protest by the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party spins out of control. The opposition has challenged the Cambodian People’s Party’s claim that it won the July 28 election and charges that there were widespread irregularities. The Election Committee said it would release the results later because its own investigations of irregularities had not been completed.

And it is the full story.

The good news is that the leaders of various parties are working on solving this problem.  And, it isn't like it has gone to 200 ballots, like one issue in the local area here in the Lowell area.♠

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  Yes, I am referring, in a light hearted way, to the Greater Lowell Technical High School School Committee search for a new Superintendent.  And, yes, I do think that an even number of board members is a good idea.  A five to four decision on such a matter would signal to me (1) a serious lack of consensus and (2) a sign of troubles ahead.  They need to keep working this problem.

What Follows?

For John, BLUF:  We need to keep asking the "then what" questions.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

This quote from former German Marxist philosopher Herbert Marcuse, from around 1929-30 points to the fact that one needs to think about the long term consequences of what seems like a good idea at the time:

Destroy the Weimar Republic; whatever follows is bound to be better.

I relate this to the discussion of the Greater Lowell Technical High School on City Life this morning.  There is no doubt that City Councillor Ed Kennedy is correct in stating that the election of the GLTHS School Committee doesn't pass the one man/one vote rule.  It is, on its face, unconstitutional. : And it is unlikely the US Supreme Court would make an exception in this case.

All well and good, but the School Committee, as it now exists, serves to balance the interests of the City of Lowell and the three surrounding towns.  With the School Committee favoring the City of Lowell, the towns will look for ways to bail out.  Soon the GLTHS will belong to Lowell, lock, stock and barrel.  Is that what we wish for?  Is that Councillor Kennedy's ultimate aim?

Instead of having a subcommittee working on various strange voting schemes, I suggest we have a subcommittee look at the eventual configuration, including whether it makes sense to annex to Lowell the buildings and grounds of GLTHS and the land between GLTHS and the Lowell Boundary.

Regards  —  Cliff

Starting a Fund

For John, BLUF:  Fred Bahou's dance card got overbooked and the Newspaper of Record noted it.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

So much to read and so little time.  At The [Lowell] Sun, Blogger Christopher Scott takes a swipe at GLTHS School Committe Member Fred Bahou.  The reason is that Mr Bahou three times signed up for the November meeting of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees in Hyannis and for three years didn't show.  Cost GLTHS (read the taxpayers) $725 total.  Yes, I think Fred owes some money back, although, as he pointed out, he did fund his trip to the National School Board Association annual convention out of his own pocket.

I wonder if this blog post, at this time, is what Blogger Gerry Nutter would describe as political in nature?  Would a source for this report have provided some illuminating context, some useful tint and texture?  This is blogging, where anonymous sourcing is constantly decried.  [wry smile here]

In the mean time, is Mr Scott starting a fund to raise the adjusted $240?  If so, he can put me down for $20 and I will deliver the amount to the Sun office.  I expect Jack and Gerry are good for the same amount.  25%!

As for the picture used, couldn't a photog have been dispatched to get a more up-to-date photo, rather than using the one from the GLTHS web page?

Regards  —  Cliff

GLTHS Votes YES

For John, BLUF:  Dracut Passes the money for GLTHS.

Not that many people showed up to vote, only about 10%, but per the Dracut Forum those who did voted YES 1448 votes to 667.

Thank you, Dracut.

Regards  —  Cliff

PS:  Gerry Nutter beat me to the punch on this, but with number different from the Dracut Forum.  Either way, it passed and by a comfortable margin.

GLTHS Vote

For John, BLUF:  Dracutierres need to VOTE.

Gerry Nutter says if you live in Dracut you should get out and vote for GLTHS today, and he is not wrong.

If Dracut votes don't vote for the Question there will either be a different (more painful) way for Dracut to pay for this or the deal will collapse and then the rest of the Commonwealth's Taxpayers won't be helping us fund the needed GLTHS Rennovation.  We, the local tax payers of Dracut, Lowell, Tyngsboro and Dunstable, will then pay a lot more and get less in return.

Regards  —  Cliff

Quote Contest

For John, BLUF:  Out in the real world people sometimes use rough language in politics.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

Here is a quote:

We need to cut the deal, we need to break the arms we need to break.

So, who said this?  I will provide the context later in this post.

Who Said It
	Regina Faticanti
	Lynne Lupien
	Eric Gitschier
	Mary Jo Santoro
	Rob Nabors
	Some of the Above
	None of the Above
pollcode.com free polls

Those who do multiple-guess tests know how to parse these things.  First off, most wouldn't directly connect the "break arms" to any one person.  Thus it is deduction.  Those who know me know that I am a friend of both Regina and Lynne and wouldn't poke at them unless they had seriously gone over the edge, and I don't think either has.  As for Eric and the Superintendent, they have both been pretty circumspect recently.  But, who is Rob Nabors?  That is a possibility.  "Some of the Above" won't work, although "None of the Above" might.

If you picked Rob Nabors you were correct (or lucky).

Mr Nabors, a graduate of Notre Dame University, is a senior member of the White House Staff and was part of the negotiations the last time we had a fiscal problem, two years ago.  My source is Reporter Bob Woodward's book, The Price of Politics.

I am guessing that the big boys (and girls) use strong metaphors from time to time as they wrestle with big problems.  If the current budget negotiations (Sequestration, or the Fiscal Cliff) strike me as a "big problem".

Regards  —  Cliff

Finding the Focus

For John, BLUF:  Blogger Gerry Nutter got confused on WCAP this AM, over why Left in Lowell has again focused on GLTHS.

On WCAP (680 AM) this AM Blogger Gerry Nutter suggested that Left in Lowell picked up the theme of GLTHS as a result of Ray Boutin, vice Cliff Krieger, being appointed to the GLTHS School Committee.

This is rubbish, IMHO.  Cliff Krieger getting appointed to or not getting appointed to the vacated Mike Lenzi seat is of little importance.  What is important is the future of GLTHS.  I do believe it is fair to say that the fact that there were four candidates for the job helped to focus attention on GLTHS and its governance.

The future of GLTHS turns on the performance of the School Committee, which is charged with guiding the Superintendent in the execution of his or her duties.  There are some current hiccups out at GLTHS, including the "gender discrimination" charge and the asking the Tyngsboro Police to investigate Ms Lynne Lupien.  These are fair objects for discussion by the various Blogs.  If the $65 Million upgrade to the school fails in Dracut, that will be a subject worth discussing on the Blogs.  The gap between the number of students interested in attending GLTHS and the number who can be accommodated is a fit topic for Blogging.

UPDATE:  And let us not forget Lowell City Councilor Bill Martin (on the floor) or State Rep Colleen Garry (on City Life) calling for fundamental changes in the relationship of GLTHS and it's supporting communities.  We could throw in questions about GLTHS's relationship with Lowell High and with Middlesex Community College.

Let us not confuse one applicant for an appointment to the GLTHS School Committee with the actual work facing the School Committee itself.

Regards  —  Cliff

Saying You Piece

For John, BLUF:  Not every cross word is a criminal threat.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

It isn't because I am Roman Catholic that I found this post at Pope Hat, but because I am interested in liberty and the law.

The blog title is "Twitter and True Threats".♠  The thrust is with regard to Twitter and threats the Secret Service are interested in, but the post might help clarify where we are with Lynne Lupien and her hyperbolic language.

From the Blog post:

In short:  true threats are criminal, but stupid violent rhetoric often is not criminal.

This adds to the blog post we have from Renee Aste,♥ about idioms.

The Regina Fanticanti/Chris Scott Imbroglio notwithstanding, not every sharp word, even if violent rhetoric, is criminal.  And, a bit of historic reflection will tell us that political discourse is a lot milder than it was earlier in our history.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  The blog post is a little gamey.  You have been warned.
♥  "Esq" deleted, but still, a law school grad and a one time lawyer, now a homemaker and blogger.

The Place of GLTHS in Our Educational System

For John, BLUF:  There is no doubt we need highly trained non-college grads in the future.  GLTHS is part of the solution.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

As the management style of the current Greater Lowell Technical High School (GLTHS) leadership gets reviewed in various places, let's keep in mind that it is, right up there with UML and Middlesex Community College, one of our crown jewels.  Not to take away from our own great High School and what it has to offer, but GLTHS fills a vital need in our community and our commnity's economic future.

A friend of mine with a PhD in Economics and serving as a Professor at a degree granting institution not in this region, wrote the following this AM:

The arguments for college sometimes miss some productive potential alternatives.   The average age of skilled workers in the US is past 50 (approaching 60 by some estimates).   When those folks retire not only is their direct production lost but we also begin to lose their ability to train replacements.   An example of how important this can be is the case of electrical generator repairs.   The policy goal of returning industrial production to the US will have some serious problems if there is not an adequate supply of skilled labor.

  Taking another step along this not so brightly lit path, industrial jobs that are coming to the US (some returning, some new) require greater knowledge and skill than did the old industrial jobs.   To compete with foreign industry, US firms must be very efficient and rising labor costs make this difficult.   So, firms are making more use of technology in order to boost output per worker.   Thus, while each employed worker in these job categories will make more, there are not going to be nearly as many workers employed.   Low levels of demand both domestically, due to our poor economic performance, and for US exports due to our lack of competitiveness and the even poorer performance of many trading partners, makes this a more difficult problem than in a healthy US economy.

  Newer jobs in the trades have higher startup costs than the old jobs but are still less costly than college degrees.   For those college majors that do not generally result in well-paying jobs post-graduation, a benefit/cost analysis would probably favor students at least considering job training for skilled labor work.   Machine tool makers and heavy equipment operators/maintenance workers have higher incomes than social science and humanities undergrads.

We all have to think about GLTHS's place.  Yesterday a friend of mine expressed some concern that while GLTHS is rejecting students interested in the "trades" it is preparing students for college.  Do we have the right division of labor?

There is no doubt in my mind that there is a definite need for GLTHS in our constellation of educational institutions.  I sometimes wonder if it's future isn't as a combined High School and Junior College.  That would give increased flexibility with regard to when students move to the school, and leave.  But, GLTHS has to be part of a larger picture of education.  It should not sit in grand isolation.  That doesn't mean I agree with City Councilor Bill Martin that the Lowell School System should absorb GLTHS.  While nothing should be off the table, I believe GLTHS's independent status gives it flexibility it might not otherwise have.

Mimi said, in a recent post that we all need to be paying attention to GLTHS—and she was correct.

Regards  —  Cliff

GLTHS Renovation Funding

For John, BLUF:  Lowell is in for the GLTS Rennovation.

Live blogging.

Early in the City Council Meeting, after kudos to The Three Amigos, the question of Lowell agreeing to its portion of the funding for the Greater Lowell Technical High School renovation—an overall $65 Million project came up.

Councillor Kennedy says he will vote this, but consideration should be given to saving $6 Million by eliminating the new cafeteria.  GLTHS School Committee Chairman Victor Olson fields the question and explains the tradeoffs re science labs.<> As per Councillor Vesna Noun's comment last week, one has to wonder why this was not already set aside in Lowell fiscal plans.  Councillor Noun returns to the issue, asking to have the City Council kept in the loop, which the City Manager rogers.

Councillor Bill Martin talks about the need for more Lowell students.  Councillor Marty Lorrey notes the expense.

Councillor Mendonça notes they have already been to MSBA, which already shaved costs.  Mr Moses talks to long term costs and wage increases.  [Why is no one asking about the assumptions about assumed interest rates?]

Rita talks to the value of GLTHS and says she supports, and mentions Dan Tensar, a former colleague.  Councillor Elliot says he supports and asks questions about assumptions regarding tax increases.  We are spending $15 Million and we have to pay for it, by increased taxes or reduced municipal capital investment.  Councillor Elliot notes he likes such forecasts as Mr Moses submitted.  The City Manager talks to the future.

Councillor Kennedy reiterates that the Council was brought in very late on this project.

The vote.  All yeas.

NB:  The money from the MSBA is not actually free.  It comes from Commonwealth revenues.  There is no free lunch.

Regards  —  Cliff

GLTHS Appointment

For John, BLUF:  Ray Boutin won the GLTHS Seat vacated by Mike Lenzi.

The combined Lowell City Council and School Committee met this evening at 6:00 o'clock to pick a replacement for Mr Michael Lenzi, who stepped down from the School Committee because he was moving to Dracut.

On the third ballot Ray Boutin picked up the needed eighth vote, from Mayor Patrick O Murphy.

Congratulations to School Committeeman Ray Boutin.

Candidates were Ray Boutin, Cliff Krieger, David Laferriere and Fru Nkimbeng.  Expect to see at least three of the four back next year, with Ray Boutin running for his seat at GLTHS and Cliff Krieger and Freu Nkimbeng running for a slot on the Lowell School Committee; my guess.

Read the early report from Sun reporter Sarah Favot, here.

While four ran and only one won, it seems to me there was value to the contest in that issues of importance were brought to the surface, but without those issues becoming cancerous.  Issues of importance include the Renovation Project, and control of it; the need for ties between GLTHS and Lowell High, due to the inability of GLTHS to absorb more students; and the question of strengthening the morale of the teaching staff, including helping them feel more included in the decision making process.

Regards  —  Cliff

GLTHS Open Seat

For John, BLUF:  I am in the race to replace Mr Michael Lenzi on the GLTHS School Committee.

As we all know, Greater Lowell Technical High School (GLTHS) lost a Lowell School Committee member, Michael Lenzi, to resignation.  Mr Lenzi has moved to his new home, in Dracut and his former seat is in play.

Today, at about 4:30 PM, I handed my application to be considered for the seat and my one page resume to Ms Jenn Myers, the Mayor's aide.

Other active applicants include former GLTHS School Committee Member and Chair, Mr David Lefarriere, and Property Appraiser and Pawtucketville activist for youth, Mr Ray Boutin.

The quiz will be on Monday, 5 November.

Regards  —  Cliff

Misunderstandings

Senior Writer Jen Myers, of The [Lowell] Sun posted a comment at Left in Lowell about the misunderstanding over whether I am open to running for a seat in 2013, whether there Is an appointment to fill an open Mike Lenzi seat or not.  For the record, I am.

I apologize if I misspoke or mislead Ms Myers in any way—or spoke and then later thought better of it and forgot the original comment.  Not running was never my intention.  When I saw the original Sun Blog post I thought it was an error on the part of Mr Chris Camire and made a comment on my own blog.   I should have called The Sun, but didn't want to be bugging people doing real work.

In other news, this AM on "City Life" current incumbent George O'Hare suggested Terry McCarthy might seek the seat.  Since someone jokingly suggested this to him yesterday morning, in my presence, and he denied the rumor, I thought it was interesting and called him.  He called back from the links, where he is participating in a Charity Golf Event.  He affirmed that he s NOT interested in the seat.  There is a lot of flux out there and while Gerry Nutter may have correctly handicapped the race, I think there will be a lot more change before it gets to the vote for the Voke.

Regards  —  Cliff

The Column on Sunday

Just a little while ago I called the office phone of Senior Writer Jen Myers about an excess comma and four words in today's edition of "The Column".  I got the Evening Duty Reporter and left my message for Ms Myers, in hope she would make sure the right person got it.

I admit that I was not aggressive enough in pointing out an earlier version of this error, found in the Blog of The [Lowell] Sun.

But, first, a part of today's "Column" was devoted to speculation about who might be appointed to replace Mr Mike Lenzi on the GLTHS School Committee, if and when he and his wife move into their recently purchased home in Dracut.  This was after a discussion of proper attire for City Officials.  I recommend one and all stop by Dapper District from time to time for advice.  The Blogger, Lee Warren, has good insights and suggestions.

But, back to the GLTHS issue.  The Column lays out the reason Mr Lenzi might step down and then goes on to list those who have thrown or might throw their hat in the ring.  In addition, the include comments by someone who was being mentioned earlier as a candidate, Ms Regina Faticanti.  In saying she was not putting her name forward she said some very nice things about me.  Modesty requires that I not quote directly, but I do thank you, Regina.♠

Now, to the comma and the four words.  The Column says, in part:

Krieger was approached by Lowell School Committee member Kim Scott.  He said he would be honored to serve until the election, and will not run.

As Mimi points out on Left in Lowell, this is not the first time The Sun has said I would not run for the subsequent election if appointed.♥   I dealt with this in an earlier blog post, here.

Taking the option of running in the subsequent election off the table is to diminish one's effectiveness, since others would be able to conclude that the appointed person, whoever it might be, could be waited out.  Bureaucracies do that sort of thing from time to time.

So, I will be applying for the post held by the Esteemed Mr Lenzi, if and when he steps down, and I am already beginning to think about the implications of the subsequent election season, whether I am appointed to the GLTHS School Committee or not.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  Ms Faticanti and I have a common interest in the issue of Terrorism and from time to time we exchange information on studies and reports.
♥  Thanks, Mimi.